Before There Was Babe Ruth

 Babe Ruth is hands down the greatest hitter who ever played. Baseball was forever changed when the New York Yankees acquired the slugger and made him a full time outfielder to stop wasting his potential trying to juggle between pitching and playing the field (take note Ohtani). From there the records were shattered and the world was on notice. But before that transition, there were other so called sluggers that the baseball world knew of who would fade into obscurity in short time.

In 1918, Ruth stopped being an exclusive pitcher in Boston and began playing to field sometimes to get some more at bats in. That season he led the league in homers for the first time with 11 and lead the league in the stat for 12 of the next 14 years. In 1917, while the Red Sox continued to squander the Babe's ability, Wally Pipp (yes, that Wally Pipp) would lead baseball with a whopping 9 dingers. Impressive when you consider that his chart doesn't allow for any natural homers.

Meet Roger Connor and Sam Thompson. With grand totals of 138 and 127 respectively, these two gentlemen held the distinctions of baseballs most legendary sluggers. In 1921, Ruth slugged 59 homers and cruised passed the both of them on his way to redefining power. Connor never led the league in homers and topped out at 17 in 1887. Thompson hit 20 in 1889 as a league leader and a personal best. He also led with 18 in 1895.